PIONEER DAYS PLEASES PUBLIC

By Bobbie Harville/SPECIAL TO THE COMMERCIAL

A Western-style Wild West town sprang up around the Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas on Saturday. The town was created to kick off the opening of “Frederic Remington Makes Tracks,” an exhibit that runs through Jan. 24 at the center. It features the work of Western artist Frederic Remington who captured cavalry troops, cowboys and American Indians in sculptures and paintings.

Saturday’s event on the arts center grounds featured cowboys, horses, rope tricks and a variety of demonstrations. As temperatures hovered in the 40s, visitors were thankful to be able to stand around an open fire and get a taste of some old-fashioned hearth cooking. Volunteer Kristi Alexander prepared peanut soup, bread, cabbage and sausage and mince pie — all using 18th century recipes.

“I liked the sausage and cabbages,” said 11-year-old Robin Turner of Star City, who added that you wouldn’t mind eating it at home. Turner, who attended the opening with her family, said she also enjoyed seeing the horses.

Wrightsville resident Earl Pepper dressed in cowboy garb including a hat, vest and chaps, rode atop a big quarter horse called Bro. He answered questions from curious children who wanted to know everything from what the horse eats to how much he weighs.

A petting zoo, courtesy of Haley’s Family Farm of Redfield, featured a pony, llama, donkey and goats. Another big attraction was a herd of Mustangs - the car kind. A row of Ford Mustangs on display had many visitors wishing they could take a ride.

There were also all kinds of animal pelts to see and feel including beaver, opossum, coyote and bear as well as a horseshoe-making demonstration.

Inside the center, visitors viewed the striking works of artist Frederic Remington, whose renderings of the American West helped create the popular image of the West that exists today.

“The sculptures are so life like,” said Pine Bluff resident Don Bolton. “He did all of this before everything was mass produced. He was just absolutely amazing. He painted it just exactly as it was.”

Remington’s bronze sculpture, The Broncho Buster, which is said to represent a human struggle to control nature looks as if it could leap right out of the case that it’s enclosed in. His other works feature everything from battle-weary Cavalry troops to hard-riding cowboys.

“I’ve seen a lot of the stuff Remington did at the Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City so I’m really familiar with him,” said Pine Bluff resident Don Doss. “I just wanted to come out to this exhibit to see his work.”

Rev. Curtis Cohen of Pine Bluff attended the opening with his 12-year-old daughter Ashley and his 14-year-old son Curtis Jr. while his 15-year-old daughter Rejia volunteered at the center.

“It’s good that the kids can come out and see this,’ he said, adding that it’s really both history and art.

“I liked seeing the different cultures and I like the pictures,” Ashley Cohen said.

Besides to the paintings and sculptures, the exhibit features artifacts from the 1800s including U.S. Cavalry weapons, saddle, a canteen and bugle.

Remington was 48 years old when he died in 1909 from complications after an appendectomy. During his short life, he produced more than 3,000 drawings and paintings, 22 bronze sculptures, two novels — one of which was adapted to the stage — and more 100 magazine articles and stories.